WASHINGTON D.C. - President Donald Trump said the "Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act” he signed Wednesday will toughen prison sentences by permanently reclassifying illegal, fentanyl-related drugs as Schedule 1 narcotics.

“We’ll be getting the drug dealers, pushers and peddlers off our streets,” Trump said before signing the bill, which was authored by U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy. 

I appreciate the kind words of support from President Trump! Proud to be mentioned at such an important event.

Thank you for working together to get my HALT Fentanyl Act across the finish line. Together, we will make America FENTANYL-FREE! pic.twitter.com/C22YbrSlzZ

— U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (@SenBillCassidy) July 16, 2025

Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid drug that doctors sometimes prescribe for severe pain.

But illegal forms of the drug, often fabricated in China, have been driving U.S. overdose deaths for years. Illicit producers have developed an array of tweaked versions of the drug to get around U.S. regulations.

The new bill automatically places all fentanyl-related copycat drugs into the government’s most highly restrictive category of banned substances, which also includes heroin.

The legislation does not affect fentanyl when used for medical purposes.

Several people spoke about losing their loved ones, including children, to fentanyl overdoses.